Sorter slat attachment

Abstract

A positive displacement sorter includes a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of the slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction. An upper surface of the web defines an article-conveying surface. A plurality of pusher shoes travel along the slats in order to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. A plurality of attachment mechanisms are provided. Each of the attachment mechanisms attaches an end portion of one of the slats to one of the wheel assemblies. Each of the attachment mechanisms includes a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member. The collar engages the shoulder thereby providing retention of the slat to the wheel assembly. The locking member provides retention of the collar on the shoulder.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
 a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of said slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of said web defining an article-conveying surface; 
 a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface; and 
 a plurality of attachment mechanisms, each attaching an end portion of one of said slats to one of said wheel assemblies, wherein each of said attachment mechanisms comprises a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member, said collar engaging said shoulder thereby providing lateral retention of said slat to said one of said wheel assemblies to resist separation of the slat from said one of said wheel assemblies, said locking member providing vertical retention of said collar and said shoulder to resist separation of said collar and said shoulder, wherein said locking member comprises a generally horizontally moveable elongated member on one chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies engaging an opening on the other chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies. 
 
     
     
       2. The sorter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein one chosen from said shoulder and said collar is defined on said one of said wheel assemblies and the other chosen from said shoulder and said collar is defined on said slat. 
     
     
       3. The sorter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each of said wheel assemblies comprises a generally vertical plate at each of said slats and wherein said opening is at said generally vertical plate. 
     
     
       4. The sorter as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said shoulder is at said generally vertical plate and said generally vertical plate has a set of through-holes mounting said shoulder, wherein said through-holes are symmetrical with said openings wherein a common configuration of said vertical plate is used in both of said wheel assemblies. 
     
     
       5. The sorter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said shoulder comprises at least two spaced apart horizontally extending studs and said collar comprises at least two sockets engaging said studs. 
     
     
       6. The sorter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said generally horizontally moveable elongated member comprises a pin that is generally laterally moveable to engage said opening. 
     
     
       7. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
 a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of said slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of said web defining an article-conveying surface; 
 a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface; and 
 a plurality of attachment mechanisms, each attaching an end portion of one of said slats to one of said wheel assemblies, wherein each of said attachment mechanisms comprises a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member, said collar engaging said shoulder thereby providing retention of said slat to said one of said wheel assemblies, said locking member proving retention of said collar on said shoulder, wherein said locking member comprises a generally horizontally moveable elongated member, wherein said generally horizontally moveable elongated member is on said slat and said opening is on said one of said wheel assemblies. 
 
     
     
       8. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
 a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of said slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of said web defining an article-conveying surface; 
 a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface; and 
 a plurality of attachment mechanisms, each attaching an end portion of one of said slats to one of said wheel assemblies, wherein each of said attachment mechanisms comprises a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member, said collar engaging said shoulder thereby providing retention of said slat to said one of said wheel assemblies, said locking member proving retention of said collar on said shoulder, wherein said locking member comprises a generally horizontally moveable elongated member on one chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies engaging an opening on the other chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies wherein said shoulder comprises at least tow spaced apart horizontally extending studs and said collar comprises at least two said sockets engaging said studs, including an enlarged head on each of said studs and a recess in each of said sockets in order to laterally retain one of the sockets and one of said studs. 
 
     
     
       9. The sorter as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said studs are circular in cross section and said sockets comprise semi-circular recesses. 
     
     
       10. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
 a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of said slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of said web defining an article-conveying surface; 
 a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface; and 
 a plurality of attachment mechanisms, each attaching an end portion of one of said slats to one of said wheel assemblies, wherein each of said attachment mechanisms comprises a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member, said collar engaging said shoulder thereby providing retention of said slat to said one of said wheel assemblies, said locking member proving retention of said collar on said shoulder, wherein said locking member comprises a generally horizontally moveable elongated member on one chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies engaging an opening on the other chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies wherein said generally horizontally moveable elongated member comprises a pin that is generally laterally moveable to engage said opening including a biasing mechanism biasing said pin into engagement with said opening. 
 
     
     
       11. The sorter as claimed in  claim 10  including a retention fastener that passes through an opening in a neck of a cylinder and engages said pin to retain said pin in said cylinder against said biasing mechanism. 
     
     
       12. A method of removeably attaching a slat from a positive displacement sorter having a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of said slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of said web defining an article-conveying surface and a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, and an attachment mechanism attaching an end portion of one of said slats to one of said wheel assemblies, said method comprising:
 each of said attachment mechanisms comprises a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member, said collar engaging said shoulder thereby providing lateral retention of said slat to said one of said wheel assemblies, said locking member providing a vertical retention of said collar and said shoulder, wherein said locking member comprises a generally horizontally moveable elongated member on one chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies engaging an opening on the other chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies; and 
 horizontally retracting said elongated member from said opening to allow vertical separation of said collar and said shoulder and vertically separating said collar and said shoulder to remove the slat. 
 
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein one chosen from said shoulder and said collar are defined on said one of said wheel assemblies and the other chosen from said shoulder and said collar are defined on said slat. 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said generally horizontally moveable elongated member is on said slat and said opening is on said one of said wheel assemblies. 
     
     
       15. The method as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said generally horizontally moveable elongated member comprises a pin in a cylinder and including laterally moving said pin in said cylinder to engage and disengage said opening. 
     
     
       16. The method as claimed in  claim 15  including biasing said pin into engagement with said opening. 
     
     
       17. The method as claimed in  claim 16  including retaining said pin in said cylinder against said biasing. 
     
     
       18. The method as claimed in  claim 16  including retracting said pin from said opening to allow the associated slat to be connected to or disconnected from said one of said wheel assemblies. 
     
     
       19. The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein each of said wheel assemblies comprises a generally vertical plate at each of said slats and wherein said opening is at said generally vertical plate. 
     
     
       20. The method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said generally vertical plate has a set of through-holes mounting said shoulder, wherein said through-holes are symmetrical with said opening wherein a common configuration of said vertical plate is used in both of said wheel assemblies. 
     
     
       21. The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said shoulder comprises at least two spaced apart horizontally extending studs and wherein said collar comprises at least two said sockets engaging said studs. 
     
     
       22. The method as claimed in  claim 21  including an enlarged head on each of said studs in order to laterally retain one of the sockets on that stud. 
     
     
       23. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said studs are circular in cross section and said sockets comprise semi-circular recesses. 
     
     
       24. The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said generally horizontally moveable elongated member comprises a pin in a cylinder and including laterally moving said pin in said cylinder to engage and disengage said opening.